I love hanging out in the different VA forums to see what is being discussed, what’s the latest trend, and what else I might be able to learn.
Along the way, I share of my own experiences and knowledge, and hopefully am helpful to a few, or many.
In a recent post a new VA told me (when asked) of how she was trying to find jobs. That for me, immediately, showed that she had the wrong mindset and I set about trying to get her to see things differently. Hoping this will help you too, especially if you’re a new VA.
The VA told me she’d been updating her resume and had good administrative experience. Here is what I told her.
Ok, STOP using your resume. You’re not seeking a job, you’re seeking clients. Do you have a LinkedIn Profile? That can replace your resume, but make sure you write it as someone who is in business seeking roles, rather than someone just listing all the jobs they’ve had. Have a look at what others done, or even visit mine.
Next, create a Facebook Page – not your profile, but a page for your business. Doesn’t matter if you don’t have a business name, your name is fine.
When you are ready, consider setting up a website, but, for now, both your LinkedIn Profile and a Facebook Page are a good start so that people can read about you and what you have to offer.
Once you’ve done those things start hanging around where business people hang out – hopefully there are some business networks local to you where you can meet people in person. But online there are also business networks – LinkedIn and Facebook have them. Check to see if there are any business networks that are local to you on Facebook and try Meetup too. It’s important for people to know you exist so spend time just joining in – not promoting. And when asked, share what you do. If you have the opportunity to introduce yourself as a new member of a group, then do so, but first get your LinkedIn Profile and FB Page set up so people can click on links and check you out!
Ok, STOP using your resume. You’re not seeking a job, you’re seeking clients. Do you have a LinkedIn Profile? That can replace your resume, but make sure you write it as someone who is in business seeking roles, rather than someone just listing all the jobs they’ve had. Have a look at what others done, or even visit I hope the above is helpful for you too. I’d love to hear about your journey!
Kathie is the former owner of VA Directory and is former past President of the Australian VA Association. She founded the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia in the mid 90s, having already been operating a home-based secretarial service. Today the VA industry covers a multitude of office-based services for clients worldwide.
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